Dropkick Murphys

The Mahones, Old Man Markley

Dropkick Murphys

Now in their 14th year, the Dropkick Murphys have risen from their basic Irish-punk roots to become a rocking & rolling, raging, green-clover machine. Dropkick Murphys are now one of the best-known rock bands in the world, thanks in part to their ability to tap into the working-class and sports fan culture that permeates Boston and the New England area but even more so due to their reputation for phenomenal live shows. Each year the band breaks house records when their live shows celebrating St. Patrick's Day go on sale. These shows are the peak of the band's touring calendar and every year fans from all over the world travel to Boston just for a chance to become part of this unique experience. In 2003 the band released a live album that has so far sold over a quarter of a million copies worldwide. This updated recording is volume two of the series comprising a "best of" or "greatest hits" from the extensive Dropkick Murphys catalog of albums. The material on this album focuses on the band's most recent titles and includes a live rendition of their most popular and instantly recognizable platinum selling single "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" as well as popular tracks like "The State of Massachusetts," the Red Sox anthem "Tessie," St Patrick's Day sing-along "Kiss Me, I'm Sh*tfaced" and the tearjerker sing-along "Forever." Recorded over six nights and seven shows in March 2009, this live CD and Hi-Def DVD package puts the band's hot-ticket live-show experience in your own home. What makes this band band truly remarkable? Their insightful lyrics? Memorable melodies? Blow-your-mind live performances? Dropkick Murphys are all of those things along with their boundless enthusiasm, infectious energy and supreme devotion to their loyal fans. Fans who have been eagerly awaiting this release.

The Mahones

From an Irish pub to an Academy Award winning movie: The Mahones have come a long way in 23 years! Heralded as pioneers of the Irish punk scene, and internationally recognized as one of the best and hardest working punk outfits around, The Mahones are back with Angels & Devils, their eighth studio album. Created in 21 days in several different countries, Finny McConnell produced Angels & Devils at Red Rhino Studios in Montreal, after recording sessions with his band mates in both Belfast and Amsterdam. The Mahones’ last album, The Black Irish, was voted Best Punk Album at The Independent Music Awards, and the band was determined to follow-it up with an even bigger, better sound. It was the recording sessions in Montreal that made the cut for their latest studio release.

The album features very special guest appearances from friends, family, and musical greats: Ken Casey (Dropkick Murphys), Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers) and Greg Keelor (Blue Rodeo), just to name a few.

The Mahones formed on St. Patrick's Day in 1990, and have been working on their own brand of Irish punk ever since. With a working class ethic and a love of classic punk, Finny McConnell formed the band to combine his love of punk rock and his Irish culture. Alongside Finny McConnell are Dom "The Bomb" Whelan (drums, vocals), Katie "Kaboom!" McConnell (accordion, vocals),Sean Winter (mandolin, banjo, vocals) and Eryk "Chainsaw" Chamberland.

With songs that have become the essential soundtrack to every Irish punk out there, young and old, The Mahones have found themselves growing with every year, and are now headlining festivals around the world, and sharing the stage with their musical heroes. It’s really no wonder that their hit song “Paint The Town Red” was featured in the climactic final fight scene of Academy Award winning film The Fighter, starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams.The Mahones are proud to have a long list of TV and movie appearances from their growing repertoire of Irish punk classics.

For the past 23 years The Mahones have released a slew of successful albums, and are world-renowned for an energy-packed, electrifying live show that has garnered them a worldwide base of dedicated fans.

Old Man Markley

When I hear someone say "newgrass" I'm usually thinking it's got something to do with a dealer getting a new connection or a dumb thing about resurfacing an outfield, but for the kids in Old Man Markley it's more of a way of life. Wait, what? Nine punks playing together since 2007 with a penchant for old timey porch type shit and red white and blue acoustic guitars? Violins? Girls in the band? A fucking homemade washtub bass??? What is Fat Wreck Chords thinking putting out this 7", entitled For Better, For Worse, due out on October 12th. Have they gone crazy or are these California kids really that good?

Well, part of it may have to do with the fact that the music industry is going out of business, but most of it has to do with the fact that Old Man Markley sounds like what would happen if Mike Ness woke up drunk in a bed with the guys in Old Crow Medicine Show and decided to just make a record rather than do the walk of shame, and let's face it people: that's just awesome, and if you don't think so you truly have no soul. You could wimp out and just say they're the Dropkicks of bluegrass, but that would be reductive and crappy, so let's instead get down to business:

Old Man Markley comes from the San Fernando Valley, just like all your favorite internet downloads. And they've also got nine people in them, just like all your favorite internet downloads. BUT they're also gonna tour with NOFX and Bouncing Souls in early '11 in order to ring in their first full length on Fat Wreck, and none of the girls from Dong Garglers #12 can say that, can they? Of course not.

Listen, these guys and gals played their first show as recently as 2008 but with a pedigree that includes former and current members of Youth Brigade, Angel City Outcasts and Blue Collar Special, you know you're dealing with a pretty wild strain of Bluegrass. Hell, there's a husband/wife team up in here and even a guy who's last name is Balls! So strap on your dicks and/or vaginas and get ready for southern California's bluegrass scene. If they can make people dance on the bar to down home bluegrass music in a Hollywood fantasy world awash in strawberry cocaine and anal bleaching, then they're sure to put a smile on your un-botoxed face. And listen, they're good looking, polite and they'll make your mom say shit like "who was that nice boy that played the washboard in that one band that sang that song that your dad and I liked about driving long distances with the cops chasing you?" and you'll have to say something like, "You know what mom, I like Neil Diamond, you like Old Man Markley. Let's call it even and never talk about this again, 'kay?"